His and Her Daughter: Arc 1 The Shinobi of Wave
by TheGreatHibiki
Summary: Free of Akatsuki, Madara, and the fourth war, Konoha celebrates. On that night Naruto drunkenly gives up more than his innocence to be with the one girl he ever loved. Months later, Naruto flees into the night, fearful for the life of her unborn child.
1. Banishment

Panting breaths amidst the icy pouring rain. The memory of just hours ago still flashing before her much like the storm, unable to see anything else.

"_The weapon is WHAT? HOW!"_

The only light on the old trail was the nearly constant flashes of lightning whose thunder drowned out the worried gasps of the figure as they ran, sloshing mud up onto them. Blond hair whipped in the strong gusts that threatened to send the fleeing figure forcefully to the ground.

"_Seals of this nature are inherently unstable during such times, we must act."_

Tears almost hidden by the falling rain trailed down marked cheeks while cobalt blue eyes wide with panic and fear glanced constantly about as their owner slipped into the mud. A feminine gasp strangled out and even though the mud was thick from the hard rain the figure's knees and palms were scratched and bleeding as they fought to keep the almost unnoticeable swell of their belly from being crushed. The reason for her banishment. The cause of everything. Too precious to give up.

"_Uzumaki Naruto, turned female, locked in that gender, and impregnated, though supposedly impossible we see now it has happened. Given the probability that this is due to the demon sealed inside the… whatever it is, as a means to allow Kyuubi's escape. I am sure even now the seal is beginning to weaken. The only way to remove the Kyuubi is to remove the host. The Yondaime Hokage's seal allowed that. I vote that we slay this freak of nature and it's child to remove the threat that they pose before it is too late."_

Naruto choked on her breath, bile rising as she remembered hearing the words of the elders as she stood virtually naked before them all shaking in the coldness of both the room and the stares of those in it.

"_I refuse to allow such actions on a man who has given up so much to this village, hell the entire known world! To kill him because of his child simply is barbaric! To even suggest such a thing is dishonorable and I refuse to hear anything like such a suggestion again." Tsunade was always on her side._

"_Such reckless abandon of ones duty, to turn itself female so it could spread it's legs for any piece of trash and kill us all."_

Naruto felt the bile again, and racked her body against it's release.

"_Hold your tongue. I have examined Naruto. He is still only producing the male cell structures and reproductive sperm cells. No matter how much his body is female that one fact means he is still for all intents and purposes male. No, the mother in this regard must have also similarly changed sex and thus caused the delivery of her egg to Naruto's body." Murmurs of just who would do such a thing echoed through the large spacious chamber before Shibi Aburame spoke out, the first one from the shinobi side of the council to speak since learning the news of Naruto's odd condition._

Memories of that drunken haze, of asking finally to be with the one she loved, only to have it turned into something twisted. Pain. Disgust. Fear. She did throw up then. Her body ejecting whatever she could hold down previously during the last hectic and horrible days in Konoha as her mind continued to replay the final moments of her life in Konoha.

"_That aside. The problem then lies with this child. If taken to birth the toll on the seal and the person with the seal will allow the possibility of the Kyuubi breaking free. Without a seal master like Yondaime, or Jiraiya, I say to terminate the fetus at once. This will allow Uzumaki to return to his normal form and the village will be out of harm." The room was at once filled with pause before cries of outrage from both sides._

"_What right do you have to tell him to terminate his child's life?" Tsunade strode up next to the man turned woman wrapping her arms around her. "It should be up to him and…" She leaned in and whispered into Naruto's ear. Tears pooled at the younger woman's eyes and she nodded. A few more questions responded by shakes and nods as the tears grew steadily worse until she was wrapped into the older woman's arms, comforting in her baa-chan's warmth. A sad pained smile etched itself slowly upon the elder woman's face as she looked into the lights before shaking her head._

Naruto pulled herself from the mud, her now dry heaves slowing enough to force herself up from the ground and against a tree to catch her breath.

"_Try and control your pet, Tsunade, it's wails disgust me."_

"_Councilman Haruno, control yourself."_

"_This thing has tramped around my daughter like a love sick fool, no doubt it would say she is the 'co-instigator' of it's sick little game, and I refuse to hear it. It's bad enough it filled her head with useless notions."_

"_Councilman!"_

"_SHUT UP!" It was the first thing Naruto had said, not since she had been summoned before them, undressed, poked and prodded by the men in the room, called it and thing, and told she was disgusting.. A freak. She had weathered it all. But she broke under the man's words. "You leave her out of this! Even if it was Sakura-ch… Sakura. It wouldn't matter! Because this child is MINE! I refuse to let anyone kill my baby. So it doesn't matter who was the 'co-instigator' was. Besides she at that moment, was twice the man YOU'LL ever be."_

"_GET IT OUT OF MY SIGHT NOW!" The man rose, temple throbbing in anger and his face a brilliant shade of purple as he slammed his hands into the table enough to rattle the large semi circle and topple some of the glasses of water scattered upon it. "I refuse to deal with that freak, vote or not, until it is away from here! Besides it has no say in this matter, only the council can decide. Remove that_ slut _at once." Naruto bristled at the word slut but Tsunade cupped her shoulders keeping her from charging and making an already tense situation worse._

"_Naruto, I know how you feel but he is right. Get dressed and meet me in my office. I'll discuss what happens then. Give you your options."_

"_There is only one option Tsunade." Tsunade flinched at the gritted teeth growl from the girl she was holding. There was no hiding the red eyes and flared whisker marks that she knew was showing. "I'm keeping my baby, In the Leaf or not." Exactly what the councilman wanted, as his smile before his anger returned, said it all._

"_YOU SEE YOU SEE! Look at the monster! It's already loosing control of the seal! Who knows how much time we have before the Kyuubi is released upon us! The thing will probably use the hellspawn in that freaks womb to do so! KILL IT! KILL IT AT ONCE!" The entire civilian side went up in arms shouting and pointing at Naruto while the Shinobi council stood by watching the entire scene._

"_Naruto my office NOW." Tsunade pushed the younger woman towards Kakashi who had stood silently watching everything. He took Tsunade's position and pushed his now silent almost catatonic student towards the Hokage's office._

Amidst the thunderous volley from the sky a scream of anger poured forth from under the tree before trailing off, Naruto gasped for more air, to scream again but she was unable to gain any air into her lungs, she was choking. Drowning because her lungs couldn't force air past frenzied emotions that filled her chest instead.

"_Uzumaki Naruto…" Tsunade finally said, to the utter relief of Naruto as Kakashi's silent treatment was hurtful and maddening all at the same time. However the look on the Hokage's face as she read the scroll before her was not promising. "It is the judgment of the council, a very close vote… that you are hereby banished from Hi no Kuni… Effective immediately. You have two days to remove yourself from our borders before a Kill on Sight is issued, effective only in Hi no Kuni. You can never return to Konoha unless this ruling is overturned by a 4/5ths majority by the current council at that time. So said the council at…" Naruto stopped listening. He stopped everything. Until Tsunade spoke up. "They have offered a dropping of all charges at any time you abort the pregnancy. A seal expert will have to be called to see the strain upon the seal and your psychiatric evaluation held weekly for a year afterwards to ensure little to no contamination from the Kyuubi has been done. You are also hereby never allowed the use of the Appa-henge kinjutsu known as Oiroke no Jutsu again should you choose this compromise." Tsunade was silent as she closed the scroll. "I'm sorry."_

"_No I'm sorry, Baa-chan. I…" the younger blonde closed her eyes as her shoulders slumped. "I wanted to be with her so much I did anything she asked."_

"_I would question why she did this but I have a feeling I know." Tsunade ran a hand through her bangs. "And now I have to loose you." Naruto looked up, wondering how the older woman knew what she was thinking. "I know you, I know what you really want in life. So I know there is nothing I can do to stop you from leaving. You should have two days, but knowing that council you'll have just hours after you leave before they call in the hit on you. I'll do what I can for you, and remember to write, Toads are still allowed in Konoha after all." The older woman was getting teary eyed and wrapped the younger woman in a hug. "Stay safe Naruto, prove them wrong, show them your will is stronger than that stupid fox, so maybe one day I can hold that grandbaby okay?" Shizune burst into the room , sobbing enveloping her little sister in her arms crying on the younger woman's shoulders._

Naruto took a deep breath then forced it through the insanity that was overwhelming her. Calming she nodded to herself before turning back towards the village of her birth.

"Baa-chan is right. I promise you'll see your grandkid, and I don't take back my promises, my NINDO! Fuck you council! So what if I am not a leaf nin! I'll still find a way to become Hokage! Ttebayo~!"

With that she began trudging off, a firm determined grin on her face.

010101

His and Her Daughter: The Shinobi Of Wave

Chapter One: Banishment

By

Hibiki

Naruto is owned By Kishimoto, I'm only piddling in his brain pan.

010101

Next chapter: Five Years Later

Welcome to Fakers 24~! … sigh… not really. Dammit. I have two thirds of it written, the most I have ever gotten out of a final chapter, but I don't like it. It reverts back to almost a chapter one level of writing… which sucked.

This however is an endeavor that had been pushed back almost from the moment Shippuden started by my brain. Which turned out I was right about the seals weakening due to child birth. Which is cool, but I can't find my original notes on the matter, but it's okay, I win the internet. This is an odd story, one I thought I'd never return to writing but as I till over many notes in Fakers and Memories, this and FarmerNin and KitNH have been clouding my thoughts. Especially for the reason why Naruto is stuck as you see him here. He won't permanently be female, but things will be mighty different.

Read review, tell me what you think… I think I am being stretched… like butter over too much bread. Too many ideas but none past certain points. So now I have like 30 stories but only like 8 done or abandoned.

Not very good odds. But Fakers surprised me. If I can get the final 24 out, the remaining three or so I might add are all bonus stories so it's very close to being done.

Now this at least won't bug me constantly and I can get some other work done. Which would be nice.


	2. Five Years Later

This mission was below him. He decided for the fourth time in as many minutes. He understood why he was on it. He still had another four or so years left on his probation period. To Konoha and the Hokage, Uchiha Sasuke was still considered a possible risk to Konoha, despite Itachi's Mangekyō breaking him free of Madara's genjutsu. Since he untrustworthy, he was given hazardous but usually useless missions like this one. Rumor's had been around for three years now of a Shinobi protector of Wave. Given the fact that Wave was once the homelands of Konoha's ally Uzushiogakure no Sato it had become more and more interesting to the council. When a Konoha shinobi had been saved by this Ninja of Wave they had sent him, given his knowledge of the area and the fact most ninja still could care less if he lived or died. He was to find, question, and then give an estimate on the treat the ninja posed. Still, for the now immortal Uchiha, the mission to find this savior ninja of wave was below him. Five for five now. He paused, giving his respects to the man who gave him his life back, who saved the country he was heading to, by way of the Bridge in his name.

Naruto. It had been five years since the blonde had disappeared from Konoha, since the world had last heard of it's Jinchuriki Hero. Sasuke often wondered where his friend was, if he was alright. The end of the war brought him both fame but at the same time newer enemies, people who assumed Naruto was the second coming of the Rikudo Sennin, or on the flip side, another Uchiha Madara. Konoha often was the recipient of both good will and ill alike from Naruto's banishment. Cleared his head as he almost ran into a ox cart from the lack of attention he was paying. Slipping off to the side of the bridge he paused as a large caravan moved past. The bridge was certainly bustling since last he saw it. All due to the safety the Shinobi of Nami was providing.

It was then he saw her. He had almost called out, mistaking her for someone else.

Standing on the lower railing, watching fish jump from the water below. Her long pink hair at once reminded him of his teammate, but from the younger days. The small stature of the girl was mostly due to age, but something else. Something all too familiar. Her carefree smile was unmatched by the other kids he noticed, very bright indeed. Dust was kicked up into his eyes from the last cart and he turned away, rubbing them free of the grit. Immortal eyes or not, he was very particular on maintaining them.

"The cart's have passed Emi-chan, come on." Lowering his hands he saw the pink haired girl turned and smiled so bright it reminded him of his banished teammate. The similarities were driving him insane.

"Hai Papa!" Papa? But that voice. That utterly feminine voice. The slender hand that took the child's was attached to a very beautiful young woman who glanced only a moment in his direction before starting to walk towards the island Sasuke was also walking towards.

Both he and the woman paused.

"S-Sasuke." Blue eyes, trembling with fear. Blonde hair, whipping in the wind and sudden turn. Whisker marks, growing sharper from the color draining from her face. Her arms wrapped around the young girl pulling her close. Two sets of blue eyes peered up at him, one framed by sun kissed hair, the other by rosette locks.

"N... Naruto." The Uchiha stuttered out. Before him, was Naruto, in his Orioke no Jutsu, with a miniature Sakura. A miniature Sakura with blue eyes.

* * *

His and Her Daughter: Arc One: The Shinobi of Wave.

Chapter Two: Five years Later.

By

Hibiki

All Naruto characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

* * *

Sasuke wasn't certain how he arrived in this rather homely house, sipping tea and watching his ex teammate as 'she' gathered her thoughts. But whatever the reason, he had too many questions to hold silent much longer.

"This is my daughter, Emi." Naruto finally said, and Sasuke's focus turned completely to the the blonde. "E (恵) as in blessing. Emi (恵美). My beautiful blessing." The woman before him remarked softly, her hand gently stroking the sleeping child's long hair as she laid her head in her mother's lap. Naruto sighed. "I'm sure you have plenty of questions. I'll try and answer them as best I can, but I only ask if it's too painful for me to answer, please respect that Sasuke." Not teme. Sasuke. The tone of her voice made it to plainly clear that this wasn't a happy reunion.

"How?" A glimmer of the old Naruto popped up.

"Well, when a man and a woman want a baby the man sticks his-" Sasuke's raised hand and pained expression cut her off, causing her to laugh. Not quite a male laugh but not a feminine giggle. Sasuke's eyebrow raised.

"You know what I mean. How is it you have her, not the mother?" Naruto's free hand took the weight of her head as she watched the wind push the chime resting on the porch.

"That night, when Konoha and the world was freed. I made a choice. A choice that gave me my beautiful daughter, but took away my life in Konoha. My dream of Hokage." Blue eyes became fathomless oceans, obviously remembering that time. Sasuke remembered it as well. The whole of Konoha had been shocked at Naruto's banishment. No explanation, no farewell. Only one day he was there, the next, gone. It had hurt them all, wondering why none of them had deserved a farewell from their friend. The Hokage had mentioned he had not the time to even write a farewell, merely asking her to tell them goodbye for him.

For the next year Konoha's elders and Hokage had been on edge, until a messenger toad had arrived for the Hokage. Only then, did life return to some semblance of normality, only without the warmth of their friend's person. Naruto tuned back in and Sasuke pulled himself from those thoughts as well.

"The fox changed me almost completely when I was given the... choice. Little did I know even though I could change back, a part of me didn't. Until I woke up one day, like this and unable to return to normal. I went to Baa-chan hoping she could figure out something. What she found astonished us. I, a guy, was pregnant. My lover's egg was transferred to me during that moment and the Kyuubi made it happen. We tried to cover it up but someone found out and brought it before the council. They stripped me down, forced me to show them everything. Cursed me, spat at me. Condemned me for my choice. Demanded my death or the death of my baby. Talked about chaining me to Konoha like a dog after the abortion. I refused. I was given another choice. Kill her, or leave. I was not going to throw away my treasure, not for any dream they could take away from me at any moment."

"I see." He digested that for a moment. "Did it hurt like they always say it does?" Naruto's smile pinched a little.

"You have NO idea. The whole last trimester they never talk about the kid doing acrobatics and martial arts on your organs. I knew of the kicking and a little wiggle but this little priss kept shifting and punching my bladder... made me feel like someone was trying to make me pee for weeks straight. But that was nothing when it came to the labor. I'll never badmouth a woman again, unless she deserves it. I know I had it pretty rough, but even with the blood loss and the seal weakening, Emi was born perfectly fine and the Kyuubi is still in here." She patted her stomach. "Well in the original." This was a Kage Bushin? He hadn't been able to tell! The Bushin stuck her tongue at him before turning away again. "The Kyuubi was hoping the pain was going to distract me from holding the seal so it forced a defect in my womb, but I refused to give in. I almost died. It was my little Emi who brought me back, crying out for me." The pink hair of Naruto's daughter caught his attention again.

"Does she know? Does Sakura know? That she has a daughter?" The smile failed completely.

"I suppose it wouldn't be fair to say it's too painful to mention, so allow me to simply say this. Sakura is NOT to know. She..." Her eyes grew cold, wild even, for a moment he was certain he saw red pooling in them. Sasuke was calm on the outside but inside his blood chilled instantly at the sight. "She tossed us away. Like TRASH." Naruto hissed. Emi shifted and whimpered and the calm composed mother returned. "She... She doesn't deserve to know her daughter. After all, to Sakura." Those same haunted eyes he remembered from when the last he saw Naruto, peered to the ceiling before shifting to him. "...A child of a freak, always will be a freak."

Sasuke's hand slipped nervelessly from his tea.

* * *

"_Who cares about that freak? He's so twisted he'd try anything to get your attention. That's all this IS! He hasn't changed since we were KIDS!" Her eyes were hidden by her hair as Sakura screamed out at the assembled members of her graduating class and Gai's team. Everyone's already stunned faces couldn't believe the words coming from Naruto's teammate. Tsunade's frigid look was only matched by Iruka's as they watched her shaking shoulders._

* * *

'Naruto...' Sasuke thought, racing to try and understand everything he had just been told.

"Would you like to stay for dinner? I'm sure Emi-chan would love to spend time with the uncle I've been telling her about." Sasuke merely nodded. An odd feeling of family filled him at the thought of being an uncle.

"Un."

* * *

"Sup' Teme." Was the first thing out of the decidedly male Naruto's mouth as he walked into the room were Sasuke was drawing with his niece. It was like nothing had changed since the five years that had passed since they had last seen each other. Given the warm reception the little Uzumaki had given him he was more partial to talking with her than his dobe of a teammate.

"Hn." Sasuke responded then returned to talking with the little pinky. Naruto laughed, shaking his head. He headed into the kitchen were vast and enticing smells vented out from.

"Hey Naru. Do I need to send someone down to the store or do we have enough?" The Kage Bushin, Naru, shook her head.

"We're good. Set the table, it's just about done." Naruto gave a slight grunt but did as asked. Had he not known about the fact the two were one in the same, he could have been fooled by such a family scene. Brother and sister, given their looks. He eyed the small girl beside him a moment. All for her, he supposed.

"Dinner!"

"Come on, Sasuke Oji-san! Dinner Dinner!" The little girl has surprising strength as she pulled him up and towards the dining area. Given her parent's he shouldn't have been surprised.

* * *

The Male Uzumaki Naruto was much more like the one Sasuke had grown up with, all his brashness and gruffness that had brought the Uchiha back from insanity. But the harsh edge that he had before he left Konoha was gone. It was odd seeing Naruto the parent overlaid upon Naruto the Jinchuriki. As the two men sat upon the dock, after dinner, watching the moon reflect on the bay's calm waters Sasuke tried to come to grips with what he had learned. Accepting the sake glass he took a small sip to steady his nerves. Naruto merely held his up, examining it.

"You've changed." Sasuke finally mentioned, tossing a small pebble from the grit covered step into the water.

"I had a kid, Teme. I PHYSICALLY had a kid. What was I suppose to do, pop her out then go back to being my old self? I mean, not only did Sakura screw me over, literally, I had to accept that I wasn't a man for a year of my life. Accept that my baby girl was growing inside me, and that there was a chance I would never be a guy again. That's a lot to accept in just a few months. Add being kicked out of fire country, coming to Tazuna, Inari and Tsunami like I was, having to beg them for help. I can never repay them, or Nami for what they have given me. A home, despite how I returned, no fear or disgust for what I chose to keep. Only acceptance. Something I thought Konoha would give me. That's why I protect Nami. It protected me when I was weak. Besides, Nami was once Uzushiogakure, in a way I am here in my mother's homeland. It's fitting my daughter was born here. The first Uzumaki born in the motherland since it's falling. I may not be a Konoha Nin anymore, but I still will protect her. I am Uzumaki Naruto, Ninja of Nami, a ninja of Uzushiogakure, ally to Konohagakure." In the light of everything, Sasuke had given up on not being surprised, so it was almost humorous when it turned out that Naruto, the most surprising ninja in all the elemental countries, was the Shinobi of Wave he was sent to investigate.

"When did you get all sappy, eh Dobe."

"Ah stuff it Teme." The two glared a moment before Naruto's grin popped up, causing the smirk to appear on Sasuke, ending with the two men laughing long into the night, remembering good times.

* * *

Next Chapter: Konoha's Reaction

Here is chapter two. I'm not quite certain where I want to go with this, but once I stared writing it just didn't stop. Somewhere Sasuke was put in, I was going o use the crow for both this and Reality but now I had to up and change both of the damn stories due to Itachi. DAMN YOU ITACHI! *Chidori's Itachi.* But yeah. Anyway Sasuke was always going to be the one to find Naruto in my thoughts. I had to figure a way to explain both why he was sent on such a shit mission and why he was even working with Konoha. Thus the mysterious genjutsu trick was used. Oh well. Sharigans suck, stupid sayjin powered ninja basically. Oh well. Meet Emi (Originally Sakurako in plot summary/notes) Naruto's five year old daughter. At five I have time to mold her personality as I figure out how I am going further with this fiction. The hostility I gave Naruto due to Sakura's betrayal came out of nowhere, but for some reason I can picture it. It also opens doors that I hadn't thought about but now see as interesting plot points. Sakura isn't going to just waltz back into Naruto's life on a whim. I've made sure of that.

Oh and to one of my reviewers: _'Hope it's a boy, authors almost always make it a girl for some reason. '_ Okay Seriously? The title of the story says it all. I just sorta gaped at that one.

Kinda short but everyone remember, I lost ALL my notes on every story I wrote. I have to go new directions unless I really had a firm grip on the story to begin with. With time my story's will lengthen up again.

As per Usual: Please read and Review, the more reviews the more into writing more of a story I am, as my Muse seems to run dry of inspiration otherwise.


	3. Konoha's Reaction

Five years had changed the once prosperous village of Konoha into it's current predicament. Every decision and change that had shaped it's now almost self destructed state could easily be started from the almost averted banishment of the Hero of the Fourth Shinobi War, her grand nephew, and virtually accepted grandson, Uzumaki Naruto. From the moment the tiebreaker announced his 'choice' the village had been torn asunder by the repercussions his banishment. All of it because of a few, though powerful, set of people whose obsessive resilience to changing their way of thinking had brought the once mighty fire nation to her knees.

Had she been a wiser leader, she would have seen the machinations of the merchant council, the undermining that had been rooted in place by only a few civilian nobles and a dead man had turned a simple uneasiness of a bizarre incident into the panicked almost frenzied removal of Konoha's hero and subsequent the loss of most of it's alliances with the rest of the elemental countries. She had trusted most of the Shinobi council, and true to her beliefs they had remained on the side of her grandson, but so little had changed between that moment since her aging and council reliant teacher's reign there was an equal amount of merchant nobles who had actual sway during city wide emergencies. She had only learned of this fact too late, to her own humility and guilt. Worse yet, her hands had been tied when knowledge that dead bastard Danzō had planted with still hostile members of both sides of the council, came to light. About Kushina's seal almost breaking due to the stress of childbirth. The effects that Kyuubi had on Naruto's cellular structure. Finally and most damningly, the complete totals for death and devastation brought upon the six minute rampage Kyuubi had wrought, despite Kushina's and Minato's efforts, when the bijuu had been released. No mention of Madara's influence in the escape, however, was cited in the report, and despite her and Shikaku's outcries reminding everyone of that fact, it went unheard. Her third failure.

This all together brought worry to both sides, most of her shinobi still remained loyal to Naruto. Even when it came to Bi's explosive death that had brought casualties on both sides, it was mostly the civilians, who had not understood any of the sacrifices that the Kyuubi Jinchuriki and his Hachibi 'uncle' had done to keep them safe, who had reacted so violently. Demands had been made, and forced her hand once again. The scared little girl she had been forced to parade naked in front of their eyes, brought an ache of remembrance. Logic, flawed though it was, was brought forth. All of it seemed some puppet trick, leading to councilman Haruno's final push against Naruto. The moment when all hope for a peaceful solutions was lost, her fourth failure, came when they threatened his baby. The look on the councilman's face as he watched the demonic eyes of Naruto when she refused to give up her child made the elder woman wish to vomit. The joy and satisfaction he gained at her loss of control, it was then Tsunade knew he had done it for that very reason. Why had never come into play, the man had so much against Kyuubi and Naruto both, there was little in her mind that didn't believe he had been the instigator of the foolhardy crusade against Naruto and then unborn Emi.

The Fire Daimyo was forced to follow this twisted logic, and after several hours of discussion from both sides, had allowed the merchant's request of banishment. However, in moderation, he removed the remaining demands that had been requested with it.

'I, while in fairness, must think of the people in this village and it's surrounding area. Does the life of a child really mean the possible death of thousands? A colder man would say yes, a wiser man, might say no. I can not however say this is an easy choice. I shall ratify the request of this council to carry out Uzumaki Naruto's banishment, but banishment alone. The rest of these so called requests, I deny and condemn all who ask of them of our world's hero. I only hope that your idiocy does not condemn the world of peace he struggled for.'

The Fire Daimyo had not returned to the village since, and through long hours and even longer political battles she fought for the end of military power being wielded by civilian nobles in her ninja village. She was close to succeeding, but at a loss of much political and social clout that she had gained in her life. The rift between noble and shinobi had grown so great that armed conflict in Konoha's streets seemed almost inevitable. The value of the Hi ryō was rising outside of the walls while inside the village it had become so inflated few could afford more than bread and bare essentials. When the Daimyo had all but turned his back on them, the wiser ones all knew that had only themselves to blame. The masses however... Mobs rarely blame themselves, and it was in the leader of the village, Tsunade herself, whom had taken the brunt of the village's grievance. Given the nature of it all, Konoha's very people and all her enemies snapping at the Hokage and her supporters like hungry wolves. It had come as little shock that councilman Haruno was behind the snipes at her reign, talking of regaining lost power and usurpation of hers. Little could be done as it was brought to the Hokage's attention from her few remaining political channels. There was too many bridges burned, too little evidence to remove him, not without loosing her last few scraps of credibility. Rumor had made way for much doubt of her govern, and even though she still ruled the leaf village it was becoming only a matter of time. Konoha was ready to stumble against the wolves nipping at it's heels.

With all this in mind, it wasn't a large leap in logic why the whole village was in an uproar once they learned of the Wave Shinobi was Uzumaki Naruto. The tainted Uchiha, as most called him, had returned with the information that the, thankfully mostly civilian free, council had digested. She of course, had known since Gamatan had brought Naruto's biannual letters, the toads and letters that she had tried to keep secret about. Apparently another failure, as she had not been successful... She shook her head remembering the scene. In any light, when her village heard of Naruto's continued (Though she snorted at the thought) support of them still, she had witnessed the first fires of hope she had seen in years from the masses. The warnings, small skirmishes, trade embargoes, and mission cuts that had been thrust upon Konoha had brought a lot of spirits down, to the point morale in the city had become almost lower than it was during the Pein attack. But word of Naruto, their savior brought new life and vigor to the crowds. The will of fire was sparking again, it just needed fuel. But they needed more than hope and words to keep it going. They needed a figurehead. They needed someone they could look up to again. They needed...

"I only hope he is still willing."

* * *

His and Her Daughter: Arc 1: The Shinobi of Wave

Chapter Three: Konoha's Reaction

By

Hibiki

All rights to Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Special thanks to Obakeinu-9.11 and ABitterPill for working me through some of the lost leaps of logic I had... well lost due to loosing my notes and coming back to this months later.

* * *

"I still can't believe you fell off the academy roof when you heard." Ino, in her usual henpecking way, scolded the dog like ninja in the hospital bed.

"It surprised me okay? But I should have known! Haha! Naruto's Naruto, no matter what!" Inuzuka Kiba was loyal to a fault, and to him only one person was more so. "Of course he's still an ally to us."

"But in a way it is still amazing after all the harm Konoha has put upon Naruto-kun, he is willing to support us." Hinata rebuked in her usual way.

"Perhaps I can finally make atonement for my family's part in his banishment. It was unfair of my father to assume a weakness in the seal could bring disaster to Konoha. Why? Because Uzumaki Naruto would never allow the bijuu to bring harm to his friends and precious people." Shino remarked softly. Hinata put her hand on his shoulder in comfort.

"So you know why he was banished?" Ino inquired. "I never heard the reason. It always made me wonder."

"It is not my place, only the elders and Naruto can. It is... confusing and probably should not have happened." Shino said with such finality no one asked again.

"I can say it was the worst political move the village has ever undertaken since it's inception. Everyone who was there on the Shinobi side agree. It's why Tsunade has been fighting the removal of the merchant council Sandaime-sama had installed to help run the civilian side." Shikamaru filled in a few blanks. "However so much of the political infrastructure has been damaged from the infighting it's only a matter of time before something breaks. It's so troublesome."

"The Ninja class is still strong, the clans like the Hyuuga and your families keep the other nations at bay, I would not assume invasion." Neji commented. "At least until the clans themselves begin thinking of leaving, Konoha will remain militarily secure."

"My father has been talking about sending some of the lower clan members out of the village because of the food scare. It's allowed in our clan charter to allow such." Chouji supplied, allowing them to chew that information.

"Business has also dried up at the shop I help at. I'll probably be laid off soon." Tenten commented accepting a small package from Neji. The girl's figure did seem a little thinner, her clothes more threadbare. "It's horrible to say this, but maybe if Naruto came back the village could restart negotiations with the others again. Maybe things could start moving." She started as she realized how rude she sounded and quickly continued. "I want Naruto back as much as anyone because he is my friend but everyone else can see that when he left, that's everything fell apart." It was hard not to hear the resentment in her voice. The last five years had not been pleasant for the orphan girl. When no one denied her claim and they all looked uncomfortable knowing they agreed.

"Perhaps if Naruto is still willing, we could convince the new council to review his case?" Lee commented, the weariness in his eyes belied his normal youthful nature. "Then he can return and bring vigor and youth back to the village!"

"All I can say, due to the nature of his banishment, Naruto's still similar and yet very different than the Dobe we all knew before he left. He may not been so willing as one would hope." Sasuke bit off from saying more, as he was a little put off by those around him. Most of these men and women had treated him no better than a leper until just a short time ago and it was hard to forget. He could only imagine how Naruto would feel about being asked after all this time.

With everyone's thoughts turned inward, no one noticed a figure slipping away.

* * *

For her pride, her stubbornness, and her father, she had lost much of her former comfortable life. She had in a way, gotten use to and accepted the whispers that followed her everywhere, the long broken friendships brought by words she still couldn't believe she had said, and the guilt followed her. She found these penance for her actions, and like any who believed they were guilty allowed it to continue. For in her mind she deserved at least that much for causing so much pain in his life. She wouldn't ever say it, his name, that is. She didn't deserve to, not after finding out the truth and realizing her errs.

She was silent as she slipped away from her former acquaintances, quietly and mostly ignored by the people around her, as she clocked out, heading for her residence. Given rise in prices for food and rent in the years after his banishment and the subsequent failure of their economy she could no longer afford living on her own, and as Ino along with the others would have nothing to do with her, there was simply no other option but to move back into her father's home.

It was this house, minutes later, that she slipped into almost silently. Her father, whom she had not spoken to in two years, was sitting at the table away from the door. She could not face him, not after learning of his role in... she pushed onwards when he called out to her breaking her thoughts. This house had not been a home. Not after her mum had left her father, ashamed and fearful of his ruthlessness and his cold attitude, two years prior. Her mother had left the city, moving back to her ancestral home in a small village to the east, with Sakura both unable and unwanted to follow. No word had been sent, nothing for her family back in Konoha. That chapter in her life had closed, and Sakura could not blame her for it. When her mother had learned of her daughter's actions the response wasn't surprising in the least.

The quiet hall seemed dangerous and claustrophobic all at once. She took to locking herself in her room, quickly setting an extra additional lock she had acquired for an unsaid and unwanted to acknowledge reason. She eyed her room suspiciously and it was only once she had felt safe, did she dig into a small recess in the side of her headboard. A small clack of wood announced the wedge had freed itself, and thus granted her access to a tiny nook where a dog-eared photo and a torn bit of paper lay hidden. Her only treasures.

Pulling out both she curled up in the corner of her bed against the wall, tucking her legs against her as if the very room itself was staring accusingly. She, with great care, unfolded the torn picture and the wrinkled partial letter. A three year old pink haired girl with cobalt blue eyes smiled out from the photo.

"Emi..." She whispered what she had learned from the scrap of paper, written in his own hands meant for her once mentor.

Her daughter. Hers and his. No... Only his daughter she reminded herself again for the countless time. She wasn't clean enough to call Emi her child. All she was, was a... rapist. A freak like she had called him. She fought the panic and urge to run from the pulling guilt and shame that rose but she bottled it down once more, using her knees to hide her face, hoping to block out the disgrace she felt.

"Oh god... why... why, why?" She had asked herself for almost six years why... almost from the moment he had given her that look, on that night when she had lost control. When she had shied away, and when that hadn't worked, when she forcefully pushed him away. She had asked herself why when those looks of terror and betrayal he had shown followed her day and night, until she finally thought it was gone or her mind immune to their sway. Months had gone by, then one evening her father had commented on seeing a toad sneak into Tsunade's office and it all came rushing back. How he had known when no others had, she never asked, like so many things about her father these last few years, it was something she never had thought to ask. All she could remember was racing into the night, away from the dinner table in a blind panic only to arrive before Tsunade, asking... no demanding any information on him... and the child. Tsunade's eyes, she would never forget, had said it all, but her words confirmed it.

'Naruto and his child are dead-" The sheer terror and grief that filled her body, cut off any further words from Tsunade, as a wail of grief rose from her throat. She had fallen to the floor, unable to grasp anything other than those words until a slap brought her up short. "Sakura... shut up." She turned her head to Tsunade in confusion. "I'll repeat. Naruto and his child are dead to you." Naruto and the baby were alive? Her tear streaked face turned to her Hokage with question and doubt filling her mind. What what did she mean they were dead to her? She begged for a reason. "You answered yourself why that night. You made it abundantly clear before he left, Haruno. Now, I think you should leave, before I lose what restraint I have left for you." But she couldn't leave, not like that. She had to explain, she had to find a way to make it up. She had asked her teacher to allow her to send a letter to him, or to see him in person, but being grabbed and literally thrown out of the door had brought any semblance of a rational discussion to a close. She had remained even then, begging and pleading against the door, while any control over her emotions had been lost. Forgiveness had been begged from him, from her teacher, from his child, from her once friends and from God. There were moments when she had begged for death, knowing then that she had ruined his life, that SHE had been responsible for everything. She had begged anyone to help her understand why she had done what she had, and when she could not feel anything more than the guilt and shame of her actions, she begged once again for what she could do to make up for it.

The only reply had come almost hours later, once she had all but exhausted herself and her tears, when two ANBU dragged her to her apartment. She had never spoken to her mentor again, only receiving transcribed orders to work in the hospital until further notice the next day. She had done so, gladly drowning in the monotony provided by the busy work until one day she found the scrap of paper and the picture upon her pillow. She was never certain who had given it to her, but the little tiny photo and the scrap of his handwriting were all she had left of them both. The only thing she had been allowed to have of them. The similar happy smile of the father shining through his daughter, ingrained on that photo, was all she had left to treasure because of her own stubborn pride and stupidity.

In her room alone, Sakura wept, as she had the day she found the photo, her prayers of safety and happiness to a daughter she had never met nor deserved, and the father who she had lost.

* * *

Next Chapter: Return to Wave

Sakura... She's not innocent, but don't totally hate her. Twisted tales and webs I weave as the plot begins to unfold for me. The reason for the arcs I remember now. While the idea that originally came is lost, the new one I feel is MUCH more interesting. Don't worry just because it might seem black and white right now, doesn't mean ANYTHING. There are already so many shades of grey in this, one needs only look beyond the obvious. MUWAAHAHAHAHAHA~! I feel evil but excited about this again. Two honest, fair, but blunt reviews made me really start second guessing this fic. Working around them the new plot idea formed and I suddenly find large interest in this. But as this story isn't about a Konoha whose politics are as mangled as my countries right now, we'll be heading back to wave. Only I wonder how I'm going to end this arc. I know WHERE I want to go, but not really how. Oh well that's why these are fun to write as well as read. It's all new for me too.

Oh on that note, I would not be surprised if there are grammatical errors all through it but I had so many past tense mixed with present tense linking words I had to stop and change just about every sentence once I reread this chapter eight times over with something new to fix every time.

Please read review and tell me what you think, Like the two I mentioned and my usual reviewers you all help me keep writing and the quality up!

Till next time: See ya~!


	4. Return to Wave

It had taken far more effort than she would have thought, almost a week and a half since they learned of Uzumaki Naruto's location for her to get the necessary votes to allow him the chance to return. Far longer than she would have thought given the points brought up on both sides of that thrice forsaken council.

"Ma'am. A member of the medical squad is here to speak with you."

"Oh course. Allow them in." Shizune tended to be more casual, mentioned it was one of the two who normally brought in the release paperwork, but Tsunade took no mind to it. Her musing was cut short when shoulder length pink hair slipped past the big wood doors.

It was here that after four long years she first laid eyes upon her wayward student again. Standing with purpose the young woman was a far cry different than the sobbing little girl who had caused so much harm to her family.

"Haruno." Old anger that had bottled up rose, and despite her best efforts chilled her tone.

"Hokage-sama." She returned the curt nod, keeping firm in the face of such an indifferent stare. Sakura bowed before holding out the medical charts to the Hokage. "The finished reports of the ninja's released yesterday." Tsunade didn't lift a finger towards the waiting folders and it was only then she saw a tremble in the other woman's arm. That show of weakness put a sizable dent in her rage and through the foggy emotions she saw the worn and tired shape of the younger female. With a frustrated sigh Tsunade swiped the charts from Sakura and turned back to the piles of paper work before her. After a minute or two with the door not opening she looked back up to find a almost... stricken figure. Clearly she seemed at odds with even herself before her head rose to look at the elder with a hesitant look.

"What is it Sakura?" She might have said the girl's name, but the warmth that use to accompany it was gone. Sakura wavered a moment as she realized that too.

"I would like to request a week off, if I may." Hazel eyes stared into jade with untold incredulity. The timing was just too much to be coincidental.

"And just where would you go?" A thin blonde eyebrow rose. "For four years you never once asked for a vacation, why now?" Sakura gave a sickly smile then glanced away a moment.

"I... I just felt it would be good to finally take some time off and get out of the village. See some old places I use to visit."

"Do you seriously take me for a fool, Sakura?"

"W-what? N-Never!" Tsunade slammed her fist into the desk with enough force to jostle some of the stacks over and onto the floor.

"Then why do you think that pathetic excuse is going to work. You cannot go see them. EVER. The team I sent is just to offer the chance for him to return." She felt a stab of pity as she saw the hope glimmer in the other woman's face. Damn, how had she not figured on Sakura and Naruto running into one another. Just the hundredth other thing lost in that exhausted fog her mind felt like lately. No matter. She had to cower this woman before it got out of hand. "However I seriously doubt it will work. And even if it does, do you really think you could just go and your relationship would become what it was before he was thrown out? Or even a chance get a word to him? From Sasuke's rather... through report, I don't think you'd be given the chance." Sakura's shoulders trembled with every point made until Tsunade wound down. Too long had both of these women held in their pain. Yet to her credit Sakura refused to cry, if only by the barest of margins.

"I understand, Hokage-sama. However my request stands. If only to go see my mother then." Compromise was in order. Tsunade was tired. Tired of fighting, tired of hating, just tired. Despite the youthful body her genjutsu cast she felt every bit of her near sixty years. Tsunade just wanted the world to return back to the time when the only enemies were on the outside of the walls and those around her were treasured loved ones. Sakura, in this move offered the first chance at a glimmer of that old life.

"I will authorize it. However if I learn you have gone elsewhere, I'll have your headband for this. Please don't force me to do that, Sakura." The younger woman's head rose and she gave a shaky smile and nod.

"I understand, Hokage-sama. I'll be leaving immediately."

"Very well. I'll see you in a week then." Sakura looked stunned a moment, before the first real smile she gave in years appeared on her face.

"Hai, Tsunade-sama!" Pink hair slide past the door again and moments afterward Tsunade finally slumped, hand rubbing at a dull ache upon her temple.

"I'm getting too old for this shit." She looked to a corner. "Get me Boar and Monkey, I want a watch on Haruno." The hidden ANBU nodded then disappeared in a gust of wind.

* * *

His and Her Daughter  
Chapter Four: Return to Wave  
By  
Hibiki  
All rights to Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

* * *

It was dusk when Monkey and Boar paused in their watch of Haruno. Boar left, giving the now bathing woman some privacy. Monkey, being female, remained and took the time to eat. Both ANBU were lax as Haruno Sakura had made no point in disguising herself or hiding her trail. She was on a dead straight path for her mother's and the two ANBU wondered why their Hokage had ordered them to do this. Monkey was adamant, her orders were as such and she would follow them, no questions asked. Boar on the other hand, found this just another meaningless task given to him from an old and senile woman, many believing, past her prime. Boar was one of them. Having become an ANBU shortly before the third's death, he often resented the Third for Boar's original team's death. To him, an old leader was an inept leader, and Tsunade in the last four years had proven that. Monkey distractedly argued him on that point and as they did so on their radio, Monkey never noticed Sakura vanishing under the water of the spring longer than a simple dive would allow, nor the additional rock that appeared moments after.

* * *

It was nearly twenty minutes after the Shadow Clone and the two ANBU following it left the spring when the rock transformed back into Sakura. The naked woman panted as she dragged her drained figure from the water and onto the rocky side of the pool.

Gasping for breath she pushed her body up to a small hidden pile of clothes and reached into the pocket of the shirt. Her last chakra pill, having given the rest to sustain the clone, was downed and with a shudder she stopped breathing hard. Once pulling on the clothes she quickly headed for wave. More guilt, for lying to her Hokage filled her, but she couldn't stop.

She had to see them. Even if that meant at a distance, and only once, she had to. She couldn't let the last grasp of hope slip away without seeing them.

* * *

Naruto has smelt them long before he heard or saw them. In fact Emi was well away with Naru when the six broke through the treeline and into line of sight. Their approach was slow, hesitant, and unsure as they made for the figure fishing off of the pier beside the small house that was his home. He made no move to react to them, further confusing the bunch as they stopped before the deck that connected the pier to the house.

"Oi Teme, I see you brought friends." He called out, holding out a fishing pole.

"Dobe. I wouldn't call them friends." Sasuke remarked, walking over and accepting the spare rod from him as the other four remained silent. After a few minutes of uneasy silence Naruto had enough.

"Okay you bunch stop sitting around all nervous like, your scaring the fish." He turned to take in the gaze of Chouji, Shikamaru, Ino, and Kiba with Akamaru.

"How have you been Naruto?" Kiba finally called out. "Been a while."

"Just fine Kiba, how are you and Hinata doing?" Kiba winced as Shino wasn't mentioned. Maybe Sasuke was right.

"I'm alright. Hinata and Shino are fine too I suppose. Though both miss you. Shino's been pretty beaten up after hearing his clans decision, just to let you know." Naruto nodded and returned to fishing, testing his line after feeling a tug.

"It's alright, I never held Shino or any other of his clan for their actions. It's easy to see why they did what they did, I guess." He paused a moment then at once began reeling in, his rod nearly bent in half. The ninja other than Sasuke watched as the man worked at the After a moment a big fish easily 20 pounds broke the surface and with some effort the blonde grabbed it. Holding up the fish he turned to the others.

"WOW, Naruto, that's a really nice fish!" Chouji remarked with hunger in his eyes.

"Heh, thanks Chouji, wanna help me catch some more? After all it seems I'll have quite a gathering tonight. Kiba, you too?" The two other nin looked to one another then nodded heading out to each take hold of one of the two rods sitting in cut groves on the wood planks. Shikamaru and Ino cautiously following. Despite everything that had happened to them and between them, even all the years that past since last they saw one another, soon all upon the pier were laughing and talking.

"So where are they, Dobe?" Sasuke called out after quirking an eyebrow at what had to be the same little throw back fish attached to his hook for the eight time. "I noticed one of your gull henge clones dispel a while back." His words made everyone pause as they realized for the first time they were literally surrounded by seagulls. On the water, in the air, even on the pier itself, all watching them. Shocked by their lack of awareness they turned to face the back of the blonde who paused and squinted his eyes at Sasuke with a pout.

"Anytime now." Naruto commented then turned back to the sea. "You know that's not fair Teme, I was having fun waiting to see how long it took them to realize the birds." The twenty or so birds disappeared with a poof leaving them alone on the dock.

"Naruto!" A female voice called out and the group turned to find a similar looking blonde waving with a bag of groceries in hand. "Come help me with the bags." Naruto was up at once, passing his rod to an unamused Shikamaru and padding silently up the dock to Naru.

"Where's Emi?" He asked once he got close enough for prying ears to be unable to listen. "Why isn't she here?" Naru angrily shoved a bag into his arms and opened the gate for herself.

"I wasn't certain if you wanted her here so when she asked to go visit Haku and Zabuza's grave I said she could. I didn't smell anyone over there so it should be fine."

"I really want her here where I can see her now that I know it's safe. I can't believe you let her run off like that, honestly."

"Well if you don't like it then go get her yourself. Hell, just stick around and take care of her full time, just stop making me and be done with it then." Naru growled tromping into the house and slamming the door shut behind her. Naruto shook his head in confusion, then turned to the others.

"Um Sorry about that, all! I'll be right back. Can you see if Naru needs help in the kitchen, Teme?"

"Hn. At least I know the fish will taste alright. At least better than that charcoal you tried to feed me last time."

"OI, TEME!" But Sasuke was already inside by then. "Why is everyone ganging up on me?" Naruto frowned a little at the thought while the others laughed.

"Hey everyone I'll be right back, I just have to go get someone." They waved him off, laughing further when the unready Shikamaru was dragged off the dock by a strong tug from Naruto's fishing rod. Laughing himself he turned and hurried down the path towards a pair of graves for two friends.

* * *

"He's still the same old Naruto to me." Chouji remarked as he reeled the fish that had taken Shikamaru by surprise. Shaking his now free hair from it's usual pineapple ponytail, the soaking Jounin replied with about as much enthusiasm as a wet cat after a bath.

"He's definitely more cautious of everyone now. He knew we were coming before we were in sight. He's gotten a lot more better at sensing people. We were right where he wanted us the moment we saw him."

"He's more closed in I sensed, not as trusting like the Uchiha said." Ino put in her two cents. "I don't know how he'd react to us asking for him to return. If he was faking about being glad to see us he's a better actor than I am, however."

"He's got a good life here. I'm not certain I can see him leaving it for Konoha after all we did to him. But I'm a little confused by the girl Naruto. Naru he called her. They act nothing alike, I've never seen anyone's clone do that." Kiba asked eying the two in the kitchen talking.

"Remember, he **is** different than all of us, maybe he can make clones act differently. Or she's some specialty clone." Shikamaru groused as he laid down to soak in the past noon sun in order to dry. Might as well watch some clouds while he thought. "It's too troublesome to think about right now."

* * *

His daughter was running down the path from the graves when he found her, snatching her up into a swinging hug that had the little pink haired girl giggling with laughter.

"Hey baby." He replied to her hug around his neck.

"Hi Daddy." As he held her close he noticed a hint of antiseptic in her scent and found a small bandage on her shin. He pointed to it.

"What happened here honey?" Emi covered her head against his shoulder. "I'm not angry honey I just was curious is all."

"I feel out of a tree." Naruto sighed, his little girl just couldn't keep bounding around in the trees like he had when he was a kid. "You said you're not gonna be angry!" She kept her head down, looking at him with just he right look to make him melt.

"I'm not. Did Aunty Naru do this?" Emi shook her head. "Then who?"

"A really nice lady I met by Uncle Haku and Grandpa Zabuza's graves. She was there when I fell and helped me. She smelled really nice." Naruto tried to gain a grasp of the scent of the woman from his daughter but the smell of the disinfectant was overpowering.

"She musta poured a whole bottle on you, I can't spell anything but you and that stinky hospital smell." He smirked then sniffed again exaggeratedly. "Oh wait, you're just stinky." His daughter made a noise then slapped his shoulder ineffectually.

"DADDY I'M NOT STINKY!"

"I know. Daddy's just teasing." He laughed again and she pouted, her little chubby arms crossed.

"I'M! NOT! STINKY!" She insisted.

* * *

Welcome home, Naruto." Ino called out, first to see him enter. The others also called out in greeting.

"Hey everyone. I have someone here I want you to meet, but may I ask, let's keep any questions until after her bedtime." From behind his legs a small face framed by pink hair appeared. The room went silent. "Everyone, this is Emi." He smiled proudly. "My daughter."

* * *

AN:

Man I had to rework the Tsunade/Sakura scene over and over and over again just to get it from being what I like to say 'believe the shit I throw at you no matter what' sort of arguments. Where I make you follow a path of bullshit that supposedly makes sense in order to progress the story line. I don't buy those and I hope you all aren't that way either.

This was the first thing after the fakers side story to really grab a hold of me, and it's actually shorter than I wanted it to be. After all, an important figure hasn't shown up yet who will. And I'll leave you all hanging on who. However he should shed some light on a VERY good question ABitterPill has mentioned time and again with each progressing chapter. I just don't have it in me to continue this at the moment and that's a good spot to end for the moment.

Please Read, Review, and tell me how I'm doing and how the story seems to be progressing. I love the support I'm getting along with the reviews both supportive and questioning. It's been helping me flesh out the story and I must say getting a review from EroSlackerMicha has actually surprised me as I have been reading his works for years. All in all I am very happy this little slipshod ramshackle story has such an interesting and interested following.

Next Chapter: The Question

Until next time: See ya!


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